Petition Seeks To Stop Starbucks From Coming To Yosemite

A Starbucks branch expected to arrive at Yosemite National Park in Spring 2018 has inspired a petition that aims to prevent such change from happening.

The Change.org petition, which has earned more than 23,000 signatures, surfaced after an Indeed job listing indicated that the Yosemite Valley Lodge was seeking to fill a vacant Starbucks Assistant Store Manager position. The worker would have been responsible for assisting the Food & Beverage Manager with all front of house operations.

Supporters of the petition believe bringing big corporations, like Starbucks, to the park would tamper with the its "essence."

"Multinational corporations have no place in our National Parks," the petition read. "The opening of a Starbucks in Yosemite Valley opens the door to further undue development. The Park will lose its essence, making it hardly distinguishable from a chaotic and bustling commercial city."

"This Starbucks development is a glaring slide down a slippery slope. What direction has Yosemite been heading in recent years? Where will this development take the trend? When will it stop?" the petition added.

The more than 30-day old job listing is no longer available on Indeed, however.

The lodge is currently under renovation until the Spring 2018 arrival of its Base Camp Eatery food court, which is where the Starbucks is expected to be housed. The Starbucks, however, would be built in a way that fits seamlessly with the typical Yosemite experience.

"There are not going to be any neon signs out front," David Freireich, an Aramark spokesperson, said to TODAY. "It would be done in a tasteful manner, commiserate with the Yosemite experience, that's mindful and respectful of the park experience. It's about developing offerings that resonate with guests, to elevate their experience."

Aramark, a Philadelphia-based company, was hired under a 15-year contract to serve as the park's concessioner beginning in 2016. The businesses the company brought to the park managed to generate nearly $120 million in revenue, NBC News reported.

"We understand there is some concern and apprehension on the part of some park-goers, however, the petition is not an accurate representation or reflection of what is being planned," Karen Cutler, an Aramark spokesperson, told International Business Times. "The Starbucks offering will occupy existing space that has been there for well over a decade. No new structures or free-standing stores are being built as part of the food court renovation."

"The Starbucks offering is part of our commitment to working with the NPS to design and develop programs that enhance the overall visitor dining experience at Yosemite National Park. This and the other new and improved offerings that are part of Yosemite Valley Lodge’s food court renovation are reflective of guest feedback we’ve received," Cutler added.

Fred Brewster, the petition's creator, claimed to NBC News that "they can reword it any way they want...any way you look at it, it's a Starbucks."

The Starbucks would be one of the many improvements that are expected to be completed over the course of the next few years. Degnan’s Kitchen & The Loft at Degnan's, for example, most recently completed its renovation process.

Starbucks did not immediately return International Business Times' request for comment.